Brussels, 17/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 14 December, the high-level group on wine drafted its conclusions on the future of vine planting rights, and goes broadly in the sense of the demands of the professionals and producer countries, as it recommends not liberalising planting rights as planned for 1 January 2016.
The high-level working group, which was set up in April this year by request of European Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Cioloº, completed its work by taking position in favour of setting in place an authorisation regime for vine planting which will allow, for all types of vine (PDO, PGI and vines without any geographical indication), a framework for the wine-producing potential and thereby avoid any uncontrolled increase in vine-planted surface area in the European Union.
This group of experts, which is made up of representatives of the 27 member states and of the sector, as well as observers from the Council, the European Parliament and Croatia, drafted a report accompanied by conclusions. These conclusions will be presented to the Council and to the European Parliament. They will then feed into the debate underway on this issue in the framework of the reform of the common agriculture policy (CAP).
The main conclusions of the high-level group are as follows: - a consensus was reached on the absolute need to keep in place a mechanism to control vine planting within the EU for all categories of vines (protected designation of origin, protected geographical indications and vines without any geographical indication), once the current regime comes to an end; - the experts take the view that it is vital to have a dynamic regulatory mechanism to lay down conditions favourable to the balanced development of the European wine-making sector; - the high-level group looked into several options for the future, and put forward a system for the authorisation of extensions of new planting applicable to all vines. This system would be managed by the member states, taking account of the recommendations made by representative and recognised professional organisations. Any further extension of vine planting covering all types of vines would be subject to the authorisation regime. Authorisations would be free of charge, non-transferable and valid for a period of up to 3 years; - this system would come with a Community safeguard mechanism (laying down an annual percentage of new plantings authorised), with the option for the member states to set it at a level lower than the national or regional level or for a given category of vine, in line with a number of conditions; - in the event of individual eligible applications lower than the percentage laid down at national level, all applications would be granted. If the applications are above the percentage laid down at national level, authorisations would be granted on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory priority objectives established at EU level, with possible additional national criteria respecting the same principles; - this new system would apply for a potential period of six years, together with a revision clause; - lastly, interim provisions would be set in place.
Stéphane Le Foll, French Agriculture Minister, welcomed the recommendations of the high-level group. These recommendations “largely took their inspiration from the platform addressed by France and 13 other producer countries at the end of last month”, he explained. “I welcome the fact that the determination shown by France and all of the professionals and producer countries has made it possible to find an outcome which will allow a proper regulatory tool to be set up within each member state to guarantee the sustainability of wine production and the quality of the European and French wine offering”, said the French minister (our translation).
This Tuesday 18 December, the Commission will present the European agriculture ministers with the conclusions of the high-level group. France takes the view that the conclusions must be “specified as soon as possible, particularly as regards the criteria for allocating authorisations”.
EFOW, the European Federation of Origin Wines, has welcomed the results of the high-level group's discussions. EFOW now expects Commissioner Ciolos to translate these conclusions into proposals in the framework of the CAP reform. “Even so, EFOW hopes that improvements will be made, particularly as regards the date of entry into force and duration of the future system”. EFOW points out that 15 member states, representing 98% of European wine production, and the European Parliament opposed the end of planting rights. EFOW welcomes the group's conclusions, particularly on improving the current system “by setting in place a system of planting authorisations applicable in the member states on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria and a framework for potential at Community level”.
COPA-COGECA takes the view that the group's conclusions are a step in the right direction. “We are pleased that the high-level group has acknowledged the need to set in place a regulatory framework for all member states at and for all types of vine, but we must remain vigilan”, said the chairman of COPA-COGECA's wine group, Thierry Coste. (LC/transl.fl)